It’s been almost nine years since NBC’s Ed Olczyk was last behind the bench as a coach. He was coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003 til Dec. 15, 2005 when he was fired and replaced by Michel Therrien.

“There is still an emptiness,” he says. “There are very few people who know my desires and my feelings of where I am and where I want to get to, but there’s certainly an aspiration there. So if it would present itself, that’s where I would want to go. It might not happen. Who knows? What I wanted to do back in ’03 is where I’d like to go if I got the opportunity.”

Olczyk’s tenure with the Penguins is best known for seeing him coach Sidney Crosby in his rookie season in 2005. Olczyk lasted just 31 games before being fired as the Penguins got off to a 8-17-6 start.

Olczyk said if the opportunity to coach again was there he’d have to consider it. After being given a Penguins team before the arrival of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang and featured Dick Tarnstrom as the leading scorer, wanting to get back at it and try again is understandable.

American hockey is in such a great place right now that it’s no longer a shocker to see a guy like Patrick Kane or Zach Parise light up the NHL. Still, some believe that the likes of Mike Modano represented a golden era for their nation, so today was a special day for that group as Modano, Ed Olczyk and Lou Lamoriello were inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Modano routinely represented the U.S. internationally, winning a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics and gold at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

Speaking of that World Cup win, the GM of the American squad — New Jersey Devils CEO and president Lou Lamoriello — was also inducted into the U.S. HHOF. Lamoriello was recognized for his outstanding contributions to USA Hockey, most notably what he did in ’96.

Ogrean called Lamoriello “The architect of one of the most significant moments in USA Hockey history — 1996 World Cup of Hockey Championship.”

The third and final 2012 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee was NHL on NBC analyst Ed Olczyk.

The No. 3 overall pick in 1984 played for six different teams during his 15-year career, appearing in over 1,000 NHL contests and scoring nearly 800 points.

“To sit in that chair every night and talk about the game and pump up American players and the greatest game in the world is a thrill,” Olczyk said. “It’s a very proud day for me and my family. I’m humbled, honored and thankful to represent our game in the great United States.”

Getting knocked out of the playoffs early can be a huge bummer, but if there’s an upside to it at all it’s that you’ve got free time to hit big time events. For Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, it meant heading to Louisville, Kentucky and Churchill Downs for the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby.

Crosby isn’t the only hockey guy with a thing for the ponies as NBC’s Ed Olczyk gave his thoughts on who might take today’s Run for the Roses. If only we could’ve gotten Crosby’s pick on a winner for the day’s big race to compare it to his old head coach in Pittsburgh.

Normally when you see Ed Olczyk on NBC or NBCSN, he’s busy laying the knowledge on you about what’s happening on the ice. Of course, Edzo has some knowledge in another sport as well: Horse racing.

Olczyk sits down with the gang at CSNChicago to discuss this year’s Kentucky Derby field and give us who he likes in the 138th running of the race. With rain in the forecast things get a bit dicier when picking a favorite, but Olczyk is a trustworthy guy… Right? You can see the Derby on NBC after this afternoon’s Game 4 between the Rangers and Capitals (which starts at 12:30 p.m. ET) at 3:30 p.m. ET.